Match Report & MOM AFCB v Arsenal FA Cup 4th Rnd

West Moors Cherry

West Moors Cherry

Star Player
An enthusiastic cup crowd turned up on a rainy Monday night hoping for some excitement and possible progression to a 5th round meeting at Pompey after the draw was made pre-match on Loose Women or something, such is the value of the FA Cup these days.

This was a chance to build on the positive showing of last Tuesday's win against Brighton and create some kind of momentum.
Unfortunately, and this may sound harsh, Eddie waved the white flag with his bizarre team selection, formation and positioning of square pegs in round holes.

Eddie made 6 changes from the win over the seagulls with Travers returning as the cup goalie, Steve Cook back from his goalie appearance at Norwich, Lewis Cook in at left wing (?), Jack Simpson at left back (?) with Dan Gosling and Andrew Surman making up the midfield.

The first 30 minutes was up there with the worst 3 or 4 performances we've seen this season as Arsenal were made to look like Barcelona and were allowed to stroke the ball around as they pleased. Our players stood off them, allowed them to move freely and the lack of effort and commitment was embarrassing. When we did get the ball we either gave it away through poor touches or lumped a ball 40 yards over the completely isolated and lost Solanke, playing as a lone striker (?). Eddie clearly was asleep during the September cup defeat at Burton.

Before we knew it we were 2 down. First Bukayo SAKO was given space on the left to smash a thunderous strike past Travers and 20 minutes later the debutant Eddie NKETIAH was given the freedom of the six yard box to sweep home the impressive Sako's cross.

It was all Arsenal as our players watched Guendouzi (side show Bob mk2) spray the ball around and look like some superstar.

It felt like game over but it wasn't as Arsenal took their foot off the gas somewhat and allowed us 5 minutes at the end of the half to have a bit of possession and Harry Wilson hit a decent volley which was well saved by Martinez. My mate asked me if Wilson had come on as a sub because he hadn't realised he'd be playing up to that point.

Finally the Bournemouth scouts briefing was starting to get through to the players after 45 minutes that if you get at this Arsenal team who have leaked goals and been very beatable this season you might have a chance. Then the ref blew his whistle.

HT 0-2

Second half we expected changes, formation and/ or subs. Neither happened.
Fortunately for the crowd the team did up the effort, it couldn't have been much worse.

Bournemouth suddenly showed more urgency and Arsenal changed to 5 at the back to try and nullify the threat. We were getting at Arsenal and having much more possession and this in turn led to every Arsenal player turning into paper and collapsing for 2-3 minutes treatment following every tackle for the remaining 30 minutes. Only Mustafi could have any complaints having to be stretchered off following a collision with his goalkeeper.

Fraser was finding a lot more room on the left and created a succession of corners that led to Jack Simpson's header flying narrowly past the post after he beat Martinez to the ball.
Finally, the change came that had been needed for 76 minutes and we put two up front with Callum Wilson replacing his namesake Harry, Simon Francis also coming on to replace Simpson. With 14 minutes to go and after trailing for an hour with no changes whatsoever to the team or formation Eddie finally thought the Dubai trip not at risk so made it look like we gave it a go and changed to 3 at the back.

We spent the last quarter of an hour plus 8 minutes of stoppage time, following Bellerin, Ceballos, Sokratis and Xhaka wasting more time than I thought it possible to do and we were looking quite dangerous with Gosling unlucky with a deflected drive that went onto the roof of the net.

With 3 minutes to go Eddie finally allowed Sam Surridge a little run out and he immediately looked to cause problems. Following Francis scuffed cross he controlled the ball and rolled it past Martinez to score his first goal in a cherries shirt. This set up an exciting last few minutes with only one real chance, when following Fraser's cross the ball came out to Lewis Cook who blazed over from a decent position.

FT 1-2

Player ratings

Travers 6 - Put under pressure constantly by the insistence to use him as a 5th defender but kicked well. No chance with either goal

Smith 6 - Tried hard but little help from Harry Wilson in front of him and was swamped time and time again.
S. Cook 5 - Over run by Arsenal's 3 forwards and struggled first half in particular.
Ake 6 - Tried to marshal the back four and got forward when possible.
Simpson 5 - Tried his best but clearly out of his depth being, played out of position.

H. Wilson 4 - Anonymous first half apart from the shot, improved slightly in second half.
Surman 7 - Passed the ball well when able to get hold of it and always gave 100% effort.
Gosling 5 - Still looks unfit.
L. Cook 5 - Someone who can create a spark. Spark removed by being played out of position.

Fraser 6 - Tried hard to create something in the second half and got his crosses in.

Solanke 4 - Isolated and poor.

Subs - Surridge 7 - Came on and made a difference.
Francis 5 - Assist
C. Wilson 6 - Tried to get things moving

MOM - Surman. If we go down this season I'd give him another year, we may need him once the crew abandons ship.

Verdict - It seemed to me that Eddie didn't really have much intention of winning this game. The lure of Dubai too tempting and more important to the players than a tasty south coast derby at Portsmouth.
Resting players ahead of a relegation 6 pointer on Saturday I don't like but have come to accept nowadays. Playing square pegs in round holes is unforgiveable in my opinion and the public crucifixion of Jack Simpson was shameful. Likewise, Lewis Cook left wing? No never. Solanke on his own up front? Never. By the way Eddie, Harry Wilson is not a winger.

Arsenal are a team that everyone knows don't like it in their faces, so why weren't we at them from minute one? Surridge was crying out for a start, we give him 3 minutes plus stoppage and he scores.

Hopefully, this will all be forgotten about by the time my daughter forces me to watch the next instalment of the horrendous Masked Singer on Saturday night.
But for now, this stings. Yes I shouldn't be surprised but I just thought, just once Eddie, just once.
 
Good report

I've been very critical of the players for lack of effort etc this season - but yesterday I felt sorry for them. To a man we were dire and that's on EH.

Seriously, what was the point in playing Cook, Simpson and Fraser out of position - why not give Dobre/Surridge etc a run out in their actual positions?

This tactic of sitting back and not engaging at any point is criminal. Zero pressure on the ball - embarrassing for us to watch, must be embarrassing for the players on the pitch. How EH expects to stay up by insisting on playing this way (despite 18 months of proof to the contrary) is beyond me.
 
Thought it a strange way to line up, with a wide man in Fraser trying to play number 10, Solanke who's done his best work in 10 trying to lead the line, and Lewis Cook out wide. Talk about square pegs in round holes. The latest head scratcher from Howe.

What was Cook going for the first goal, and what was Smith doing for the second. Senior players here.

No surprise things looked a little better when we changed it back to a more recognisable shape.

Things looked even better when we finally got a bit peed off with being made to look like mugs, and we actually got after Arsenal a bit. Funny that. There was effort, tackles, and a bit like v Brighton we moved 15-20 yards up the pitch. Suddenly we were in a game of football.

Eddie needs to work out how he can start the side in pressing mode, rather than starting them cold like a car on a frosty morning that needs half an hour to warm up.
 
Men against boys for the first half hour or so. I thought that Fraser played some great touches around central midfield and he seemed to be driving us forwards (when he had the chance to) on his own at times. A great chance to try the youngsters when we were two nil down and the game was lost?
 
northstandmark said:
Thought it a strange way to line up, with a wide man in Fraser trying to play number 10, Solanke who's done his best work in 10 trying to lead the line, and Lewis Cook out wide. Talk about square pegs in round holes. The latest head scratcher from Howe.

What was Cook going for the first goal, and what was Smith doing for the second. Senior players here.

No surprise things looked a little better when we changed it back to a more recognisable shape.

Things looked even better when we finally got a bit peed off with being made to look like mugs, and we actually got after Arsenal a bit. Funny that. There was effort, tackles, and a bit like v Brighton we moved 15-20 yards up the pitch. Suddenly we were in a game of football.

Eddie needs to work out how he can start the side in pressing mode, rather than starting them cold like a car on a frosty morning that needs half an hour to warm up.
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We looked like a league one/two side desperate to keep the score down and hope for a lucky mistake to score - pretty dreadful on and off the pitch , poor poor poor .
 
Agree with the assessment of the starting line up. That left hand side was suicidal on paper and on the pitch. The two on the right should be able to link well by now but they were awful.

But... the starting line up was 4-4-1-1 with Fraser up front ahead of Solanke. He switched Fraser wide after about half an hour with Solanke up front on his own. We then looked a lot better, other than Solanke who was pretty terrible all game.
 
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Have always backed Eddie, yes there have been some strange line ups , and weird substitutions ,but last night with the chance to play Surridge from the start, and even as the game went on not bringing him on sooner,is one I really can't figure out, my faith in him has just slipped another notch :cry:
 
northstandmark said:
Thought it a strange way to line up, with a wide man in Fraser trying to play number 10
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I agree, especially when we all know H. Wilson should be playing that role but out of position on the wing, just switch them over?
 
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I have no idea why we didn't play Surridge from the beginning. Strange formation.
It's like the team was set up to lose the game, weird as it sounds.

I must admit I too had forgotten H Wilson was playing until about the 40th minute.

Finally beginning to realise that relegation is a distinct possibility. I fear for the Villa game.

Repeating the same failing tactics and formations for league games, I just don't understand it. Perhaps our players just aren't good enough to do anything else?
 
Repeated week after week by so many thoughtful fans ... "what's Eddie up to?" He looks increasingly desperate to find a formation from a squad that lacks creativity and confidence. Shuffling the pack won't bring consistent results - new blood just might, whether that's from the youngsters (Surridge, Dobre, Kilkenny, Kelly) or January recruits.

Too late to recruit? SPEND, I say ... or we're looking at the end to a fine run in the PL.
 
langham said:
Too late to recruit? SPEND, I say ... or we're looking at the end to a fine run in the PL.
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I don't see much point in recruiting... we're not one clinical finisher or a tricky winger away from being competitive. The issue, as it has been for 18 months, is with the whole team and the way they're being set up.

Even with injuries, we have a squad good enough to stay up if the tactics are right and players are played in their right positions. Unless Howe goes back to the pressing, aggressive football (like we finally did last 60 v Brighton) then we're going down. Signing anyone without doing that would just be a waste of money and add to the financial difficulties in the summer.
 
Performances and results would suggest the ability and / or attitude of the squad has got afcb to a relegation position.
The management need to prepare, organise and motivate their players to deliver on the pitch what they preach in pre and post match interviews.
 
Judging by Howe’s comments and uncharacteristically slating the players for the lack of pressing and desire etc he’s as frustrated as the rest of us with the players attitude and performance.

My guess Howe has been like that for a long time behind closed doors. This isn’t a problem with how they are “set up”. This is a problem with this group of players. It’s a squad in transition and they are on a very steep learning curve.
 
Lermanator said:
I don't see much point in recruiting... we're not one clinical finisher or a tricky winger away from being competitive. The issue, as it has been for 18 months, is with the whole team and the way they're being set up.

Even with injuries, we have a squad good enough to stay up if the tactics are right and players are played in their right positions. Unless Howe goes back to the pressing, aggressive football (like we finally did last 60 v Brighton) then we're going down. Signing anyone without doing that would just be a waste of money and add to the financial difficulties in the summer.
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...agree Howe must find a way to play to maximise the skills of some of his players and not insist on playing them out of position or trying to change formations and systems that just don't suit them. We have seen with Mings and Mousset two players who have been coached and understood far better than we did when they were here under Eddie's coaching. I see no point in risking spending money on new signings when our squad should be equipped to keep us up!
 
DJ said:
Judging by Howe’s comments and uncharacteristically slating the players for the lack of pressing and desire etc he’s as frustrated as the rest of us with the players attitude and performance.

My guess Howe has been like that for a long time behind closed doors. This isn’t a problem with how they are “set up”. This is a problem with this group of players. It’s a squad in transition and they are on a very steep learning curve.
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...smacks a little of Howe losing the dressing room? Transition is one thing but we have got in too many players with potential and not enough with PL experience like the ones that we are trying to replace (Francis/Daniels and Fraser)...
 
Surridge should at the very least be coming off the bench earlier and more regularly now. There’s something special about his movement and instincts that you just can’t teach, if he improves his general footballing technique I think he could have an excellent career. In hindsight you would have him starting the game with Solanke as the deeper forward.
 
Garbo said:
. We have seen with Mings and Mousset two players who have been coached and understood far better than we did when they were here under Eddie's coaching.
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Mings has benefitted from regular first team football and a new start. He’s still an accident waiting to happen and costs Aston Villa a large amount of goals. Even Villa fans who treated him like he was the second coming have begun to turn a little after seeing more and more of him.

Mousset is still in and out of the team at Sheffield United behind David McGoldrick.
 
Garbo said:
...smacks a little of Howe losing the dressing room? Transition is one thing but we have got in too many players with potential and not enough with PL experience like the ones that we are trying to replace (Francis/Daniels and Fraser)...
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Smacks of young players who are notoriously inconsistent, playing alongside experienced players in bad form and or struggling for fitness or injury.

Constant changes and no continuity for months.

It all adds up.
 
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